Dear CAGTC Members,
The federal government is currently operating on a continuing resolution (CR) set to expire this Friday, December 11. To prevent a government shutdown, Congress is planning to introduce a week-long CR extension providing fiscal year 2020 funding levels through December 18. The lower chamber will be first to vote on the CR. According to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD), this vote will take place on December 9 with the Senate expected to take up and pass the CR later in week, prior to the December 11 deadline.
The extension will give lawmakers an additional week to finalize an omnibus appropriations package providing fiscal year 2021 funding through September 30, 2021. Congressional leadership reached a deal on the top-line amounts for each of the 12 appropriations bills in late November and had hoped to vote on the final package this week. However, a renewed push for COVID-19 relief funding altered these plans.
During the first week of December, a bipartisan group of Members from both chambers announced a $908 billion proposed COVID aid framework providing relief provisions through March 2021. Though the bill text has not yet been published as of December 8, an overview of the framework (as originally proposed December 1) is available. The bill would provide $160 billion for state, local, and tribal governments, $16 billion for vaccine distribution, as well as $45 billion for select transportation interests. According to Sen. Warner (D-VA), one of the bill sponsors, the transportation funding would be distributed as follows: $17 billion for air carriers; $4 billion for airports; $15 billion for mass transit providers; $8 billion for private bus companies; and $1 billion for Amtrak. Both House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) have stated the appropriations omnibus and COVID-19 funding should be incorporated into one package. As lawmakers continue to negotiate the final package, news reports indicate that the remaining sticking points pertain to state and local aid, stimulus checks (currently not included), and liability reform to protect businesses and schools from lawsuits related to the pandemic.
CAGTC will continue to monitor this developing package and provide updates accordingly.
Thank you,
Cecile
Cecile Entleitner
Manager, Member Communications & Policy
Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors
1625 K Street NW
Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20006
tradecorridors.org
T: (202) 828-9100
C: (850) 766-2411